Wrench



Aug. 2l, 1928.

1,681,184 R. HOE

WRENCH Filed une 1924 Il@ d.

Hwa: "Ams lnventoz 9312, A au I are to provide a spring `l )ectto begripped.

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l 3 fer engagement form of Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

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application mea AJune 2s,

r[his invention relates to improvements in wrenches of the general typecomprising a rigid links. The especial (objects of the inventionmechanism for closthat `shall be more ing the wrench )aws andmtosatisfactory than those now in use, `provide rmeans y ositionreadyforengagement with the fobf Other features of the i invention willbe hereinafter referred to.`

For a full understanding of the invention,

adetailed description of constructions embodyingjall the above featuresin' preferred l5 and modified forms will now be given inconnection jwiththe accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and vthefeatures forming the "invention` thenbe pointed out in the Claims. f 0`Inthe drawingswer; 'A 'y j v Figurel is a side elevationof a wrenchembodying ,the presentV improvements in their preferred forms, with thewrench )aws infinoperative vkposition; y

Figure 2 is an ,edge view thereof; l Figure 3 v is a sectionfonrtheVline. V3.--3 y of Figure 4 isa view similar to Fig. 1, with the jawslockedin openposition and ready A v`with .the objectto be ,i i gnppd; i

lfFigure ,y 5`is a sectionlongthe line- 5-f5 of Fi4, A` d" c .vv igure 6is a sideelevation of -a modified catch for lockinglthe jaws in openp0sition;and u Figure 7 is a section onthe line ,f7-7, of

FLc. 'n t f -eferring now to VVthe drawings, .the

40 numeral 10 indicates the stationary orvrlgid y jaw on the end ofthey-handle or shank 11, 12 `being the swingingormovable V] aw, and 13,14 links arranged in pairs and pivoted to n theside faces ofthe jaws 1Q,12 to secure rthe jaws movably together, thepivotal points of y `thelinks on the stationary jawlO preferably y being arranged closertogether than the v pivotalpointsA on the movable jaw, and the bestresultsbeing obtained with substantially the `relative,larrange-mentshown.A To `stop t; i the closingof the wrench inthe desired partiallyopen position, and thus prevent un-V necessary wear .on the jaw teethvl,a4 stop 16 on one for more of the links` may be pro- TheI Apresentinvention consists y mainly in and armovable jaw. connected by forlocking the jaws in open y Y cally 4uniform throughout.

1924. serial in.` 'massa providing an` improved ,spring mechanism Aforexerting a Closing pressure on thew'renafh jaws. "Tov securethisresultiacoiled spring.

vis used, coacting witlithelinksinsuch a manner that the Vjaws .areclosed bythe coil tension tending to iinwindthe coil, and openedagainstthe resistance ofrewinding the coil, as distinguished from thepull coilsv or flat springs previously suggested. In the preferredlconstruction Hand as shown, a

lspringghaving a. coiled portionl is mounted one pin2-positionedibetween the links 14 ends.` The free end 3 of the spring 17in the arrangement shown, abuts against ,alpin 4 positioned at a pointbetween the pin 2 and the ends of the links 14. The other free end 5 ofthe. spring labuts against the-under side ofa .pin 6 positionedintermediate the ends of the links 13,V lh'e .coiling tensionof springisthus increasedrby the opening of the Jaws and reacts togclose the jawsby the unwinding of the coil, the tension increase and decreasexdeending upon the relative angle of theilin sfand'1 the positionr of thewil lie at a lower point in the curved area,V

and thus, as thejaws -areforced open`,a cam action isproduced by'thefincline on end 5 in .co-,operation :with pin `6, and an increaseinzthe windingy tension of tlievcoiled portion 1. The pin 6 preferably:seated in lugs lata point approximately central of 'the link i A formedon-mthe inner edgesof the link-s` 13,V

although such lugs may be dispensedwith n andthe pin 6 be mounted Vinholes formed in thelinks f4as `heretofore formed. i vcoiled"pringhavingitsends extended to `cro-operatewiththe wrench `aws and functioning as above described, isii as comparedlwithalflat springora. pullspring,because 4the spring actionk is 'practiu Yand the*A parts vmay bereadily assembled or thespring replacedwithout difficulty. y A

The wrench Ithus far described :may be conveniently'usedlby laying ltheprojecting ighly eflicient ,SuchI la spring iin end of the movable jaw12 against the object to be gripped and applying slight pressure on thehandle 11, thus forcing the jaws apart against the winding up resistanceof the spring above described, so that the wrench will automaticallyadjust itself in position on such object. In the larger sizes ofwrenches of this type, however, the spring tension on the jaws isusually quite heavy, so that it' the wrench jaw should slip in thusapplying the wrench it might happen that the hand oi' the user would becaught and injured. To avoid this, and provide a simple and easilyoperable means for holding the wrench jaws in open position, there isprovided a lock, consisting, in the form shown inl Figs. 1-4, of a lug 8on the edge of the shank 11, the rear wall 9 of which is approximatelyat right angles to the shank or handle and in such position thereon thatwhen the jaws are forced to their extreme open position the coiledportion 1 of the spring on pin 2 will engage the wall 9 with suliicientfriction to hold the jaws open. In this connection it will be noted thatthe pin 2 is considerably smaller than the space within the coiledportion 1 of the spring,

which provides for a slight play between this Cil portion of the springand the pin, so that when the portion 1 of the spring comes into contactwith the end of the lug S it may be displaced suiieiently to ride overthe same and engage the wall 9 and act to hold the parts in position asshown in Fig. 4. Thus, when the open jaws of the wrench are appliedabout the object to be gripped. a slight forward pressure of the thumbor finger on the rear of the movable jaw 12 or the links 14, will causethe spring portion 1 to` be released from the lug 8, when the jaws willsnap shut on such object and thus avoid any possibility of injury to thehand of the user.

In Figs. 6 and 7 there is shown a modified torni of catch which may, ifdesired, be substituted for that above described. A more positive lockis provided by this modified construction, in that the U-shaped trigger18, which is mounted on pivot 19 extending through the shank 11, and onwhich the trigger is arranged to rock, has a projecting portion 20 whichis arranged to engage a notch'21vfor1ned at the base of the links 14,when the jaws are in their extreme open position. Pressure on thumbpiece`22 will rock the trigger 18 so asto release the projection 20 fromthe notch 21 on the links'14, and permit the jaws to snap shut on theobject to be gripped. A vleaf spring 23, secured by rivet 24 orotherwise to the underside of the thumb piecey 22 may be provided, whichnormally presses against the edge of the shank 11 so as to cause thetrigger to snap into locking engagement'with the notch 21 when thejawsare pulled baclnto their extreme open position.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, there is shown a removable plate 25 in whichare formed the jawteeth. While this removable plate is shown as appliedto only the rigid jaw, it may, of course, be applied to either or bothof the jaws. Preferably and as shown the plate 25 is provided with sideflanges 26 which overhang the sides of the jaw member to which applied,and is also provided with a convex bottom surface arranged to occupy acavity in the wrench jaw of corresponding shape. The plate may bereadily secured in position by a single rivet 27, which, due to theconcavo-convex seating surfaces, will hold the same rigidly and securelyin position.

This removable plate carrying the jaw teeth materially increases thelife of the wrench because as the teeth become worn or broken a newplate may be readily attached to the wrench jaw. It also enables the useof a higher grade of steel andconsequently better tempering of the jawteeth than would be the case where they are formed directly on the jawmember, properly hardening and tempering such jaw portion while leavingthe remainder of the jaw or handle comparatively soft.

It will be understood that the features of invention herein shown anddescribed are not limited to the exact form or arrangement of partsshown, but that modifications may be made therein while still retainingthe invention deined by the claims.

'What is claimed is:

1. A wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, links pivotallyconnecting the jaws, and a spring having a coiled portion mounted on onelink and having its opposite ends extended `and abutting respectivelyagainst the two links to secure the tightening of the coil by theopening movement ofthe jaws and close the jaws by unwinding pressure ofthe coil.

2. A wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, linksl arranged inpairs'and pivotally connecting the jaws, a coiled spring mounted on andbetween yone pair of said links and having ends extended and abuttingagainst links of each pair to secure the tightening of the coil hy theopening movement of the jaws and close the jaws by nnwinding jnessure ofthe coil. l

3. A wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, links arranged inpairs and pivotally connecting the jaws, and a spring having a. coiledportion mounted on a pin positioned between the rear links and havingits ends extended and abutting respectively against each one of thepairs of links for exerting `a closing pressure on the wrench jaws.

4. A wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a movable jaw. lforward and rearlinks pivotally connecting the jaws, and a spring havdue to theditiiculty of llo llt)

ing a coiled portion mounted on the rear link and having its endsextended and abut. ting respectively against the forward and rear linksorexertingr a closing pressure on the wrench jaws.`

`5. A Wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a

movable jaw, links pivotally connecting said jaws, a spring(ao-operating with said links and normally tending to force the jawsto'- gether, and lockingr means for holding said 'novable jaw in openposition.

v6. A wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a 'inovable jaw,` links pivotallyrconnecting said jaws, a springr 3o-operating with said links andnormally .tending to lforce the jaws together, and handle having a lugthereon arranged to co-operate with said spring to form a frictionalcatch to hold the wrench jaws open.`

' 7 .f In a wrench, the combination with thev fixed and movablejaws,.and front and rear links 13, 14, of coiled spring.,r 1 mountedloosely on links 14, and a handle'having fixed lug.,r 8 co-acting withthe spring coil to form a rictional catch.

8. In a wrench,"the combination Vwith the fixed and movable jaws,.andfront and rear links 13, 14, of a spring having a coiled portion 1mounted on links 14 with itsends 3,

. y '35 hereunto set

